The Edge (1997 film)

The Edge
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Lee Tamahori
Produced by	Art Linson
Written by	David Mamet
Starring	Anthony Hopkins Alec Baldwin Harold Perrineau Elle Macpherson Bart the Bear L. Q. Jones
Music by	Jerry Goldsmith
Cinematography	Donald McAlpine
Editing by	Neil Travis
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	September 26, 1997
Language	English
Budget	Unknown
Box office	$27,779,888 (US)

The Edge is a 1997 survival drama directed by Lee Tamahori, starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin.

Harold Perrineau and Elle Macpherson co-star. L. Q. Jones also has a supporting role as an innkeeper. Bart the Bear, a trained Kodiak Bear known for appearances in several Hollywood movies, appears as a vicious grizzly; this was one of his last film roles.

The film was written by David Mamet, and despite the unusual setting it touches upon many themes common to Mamet's other works including, the bonding of strong male characters, tough posturings and playful surprises. The story explores, through action and intricate dialog, the survival instincts of these men in terms of their competition with each other and with their environment.

Plot

Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins), a billionaire, and two other men, Robert "Bob" Green (Alec Baldwin), a photographer, and Stephen (Harold Perrineau), his assistant, arrive in a remote North America locale via Charles's private jet, along with Charles's much-younger wife, Mickey (Elle MacPherson), a beautiful fashion model. The group is here for a photo shoot and are the only guests at a lodge. Styles (L.Q. Jones), the proprietor, warns everyone that the region is inhabited by bears and not to leave food uncovered. The party also celebrate Charles' birthday, and Mickey gives him an engraved pocket watch. Bob's present is an expensive hunting knife.

When Bob's male model gets sick, he invites Charles to fly with him and Stephen to a different location where a characterized Indian is hunting. In mid-air, Charles, suspecting Bob and Mickey are having an affair after he sees Bob kiss Mickey on the cheek, cryptically asks how Bob is planning to kill him. Before the conversation goes any further, the plane suddenly hits a flock of birds and nose-dives into a lake, killing the pilot. Charles, Bob, and Stephen barely escape safely to shore.

Lost, wet, and freezing, the men, knowing the plane was off course, attempt to hike to a more likely search area, only to find that a Kodiak Bear is stalking them. They elude it, but later that night, the Bear attacks their camp and kills Stephen.

On the run from the Bear, Charles and Bob have little chance of rescue. Though not an outdoorsman, Charles draws upon his encyclopedic survival knowledge to guide them, and the men work together, bonding somewhat. The Bear finds them, and in a struggle on a river bed, Charles impales it with a hand-carved spear, saving Bob's life.

The two find an empty hunters' cabin containing some supplies, a rifle, and a canoe. As Charles is about to use the paper receipt from Mickey's birthday gift as tinder to light the stove, he notices on it that she also bought Bob an expensive wristwatch engraved with an intimate inscription. Charles realizes that Bob and Mickey are indeed having an affair and that Bob is going to kill him to obtain his wealth and wife. Bob drinks to prepare himself, causing Charles to lament that Bob is unable to kill him sober.

As Bob is about to shoot him, Charles lures Bob into a "deadfall" pit left by hunters. Bob suffers a mortal wound, but rather than leaving him to die, Charles transports him downriver by canoe. They make camp, hoping a search party finds them there. Bob apologizes for betraying Charles and says Mickey was never involved in the murder plot. A rescue helicopter appears and spots them, but Bob dies before it lands.

Back at the lodge, Charles hands Bob's watch to Mickey, his expression implying that he knows about her adultery. He then declares to the gathered press that his friends died, "saving my life."

Cast

• Anthony Hopkins as Charles Morse
• Alec Baldwin as Robert "Bob" Green
• Elle MacPherson as Mickey Morse
• Harold Perrineau as Stephen
• L.Q. Jones as Styles
• Kathleen Wilhoite as Ginny
• David Lindstedt as James
• Mark Kiely as Mechanic
• Eli Gabay as Jet Pilot
• Larry Musser as Amphibian Pilot
• Gordon Tootoosis as Jack Hawk
• Kelsa Kinsley as Reporter
• Bart the Bear as the Kodiak Bear

Frank Welker has done the roars and the shrieks of the bear.

Production

The shooting of the film is discussed by Art Linson in his 2002 book What Just Happened?, later made into a film starring Robert De Niro. Initially called Bookworm, the script was turned down by Harrison Ford and Dustin Hoffman before Alec Baldwin settled on the role of Green. DeNiro showed some interest in the role of Morse but ultimately declined. Baldwin's unwillingness to shave a beard he had grown for the role is portrayed by Bruce Willis in the adaptation of Linson's book directed by Barry Levinson.

Three months before the Hopkins-Baldwin film's release, the studio felt Bookworm needed a more commercial title. Dozens of others were considered, according to Linson, until the film was renamed The Edge.

Music

The film's music score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith and has received two CD releases, by RCA Records and La-La Land Records.

RCA Records release: September 30th 1997

Tracklist:

1. Lost in the Wind
2. The Ravine
3. Birds
4. Mighty Hunter
5. Bitter Coffee
6. Stalking
7. Deadfall
8. The River
9. Rescued
10. The Edge

La-La Land Records release: June 15th 2010

La-La Land Records, as part of their limited edition series of releases, presented the complete score, including around 25 minutes of unreleased music, as a limited pressing of 3500 units.

This release also fixes a problem on the RCA release affecting the track "Rescued", which had rustling noises during some quieter parts.

Tracklist:

1. Early Arrival (1:32)*
2. Lost In The Wild(s) (2:59)
3. A Lucky Man/Open Door (1:41)* (does not include the final orchestral outburst as the "bear" bursts through the door, which only lasts for a few seconds)
4. Mighty Hunter (1:31)
5. The Spirit (0:36)*
6. Birds (2:22)
7. The Fire / Breakfast (2:31)*
8. Rich Man (0:58)*
9. The Ravine (4:36)
10. Bitter Coffee (3:01)
11. Wound (1:38)*
12. Stephen's Death (2:26)* (contains an unused ending from 1:45 onwards)
13. The Cage / False Hope / No Matches (3:34)* (contains crossfades between the three cues, although they are separated in the film)
14. Stalking (5:46)
15. Deadfall / Bear Fight (6:21)
16. The Discovery / Turn Your Back (5:01)* (contains a brief alternate segment at 1:34 – 1:46)
17. The River (2:26)
18. Rescued (6:03)
19. End Title (Lost In The Wild)(s) (1:59)*
20. The Edge (2:55)

Bonus Tracks

1. False Hope (Alternate Take) (1:08)* (alternate of 0:56 – 2:00 of track 13, with more percussion and an additional brass melody)
2. Rescued (Film Version Ending) (1:19)* (alternate ending of track 18, reflecting the film version)
3. The Edge (Alternate Take) (3:00)* (alternate recording of track 20)

Total Time 66:15 (* = Previously unreleased)

DVD release

The DVD was released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on June 4, 2002. It contains no special features and has a non-anamorphic widescreen transfer.

Reception

The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics. It currently holds a 6.4/10 'fresh' rating on rotten tomatoes. Roger Ebert gave the film 3 stars out of 4, claiming the filmmakers did well by not going berserk with the action sequences as other films do, but criticized the ending, claiming:

"Having successfully negotiated almost its entire 118 minutes, The Edge shoots itself in the foot. After the emotionally fraught final moments, just as we are savoring the implications of what has just happened, the screen fades to black and we immediately get a big credit for Bart the Bear. Now Bart is one helluva bear (I loved him in the title role of The Bear), but this credit in this place is a spectacularly bad idea."

External links

• The Edge at the Internet Movie Database